Fox Picks Up ‘Gotham’ TV Series Focused on Commissioner Gordon

Tonight, Marvel is making its big splash into the world of TV with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (check out our review here). So perhaps it’s no surprise that Warner Bros. and DC took the opportunity to steal a little bit of Marvel’s thunder and make their own major announcement.

Earlier today, we wrote about the intriguing possibility of a TV show inspired by DC’s Gotham Central comic book series. Turns out, there was a Batman universe show in the works, but one that’s focused entirely on Commissioner James Gordon.

According to Deadline, Fox just won a bidding war for Gotham. The TV series, which is written by Bruno Heller (The Mentalist), will focus on Gordon’s early years in the Gotham police force. It will tell not only Gordon’s origins, but also some of the origins of the main villains in the Batman universe. The Caped Crusader himself, however, will not be featured in the series. (At least…not yet?)

There have been other TV shows set in the Batman universe in the past, most notably the unsuccessful 2002 series Birds of Prey. But a lot has changed over the last decade.

Batman is more popular than ever thanks to Christopher Nolan’s critically-acclaimed trilogy, and fans are intimately familiar with the character of Commissioner Gordon thanks to Gary Oldman’s excellent performance. Anchoring a TV show around such a popular character is a smart move that will attract audiences and keep them engaged over the long term.

It remains to be seen whether Gotham will crossover with existing DC properties such as Arrow and The Flash, though it’s unlikely given the different focuses of each show. However, the news of Gotham is ahealthy reminder that we’re in a new era for The Dark Knight.

From the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman in Batman vs. Superman to this new TV show, it’s obvious that Warner Bros. is moving aggressively to capitalize on their success with Nolan’s trilogy, but also put the films in the rear-view mirror so they can get the most out of the lucrative property.

What do you think of the news about a Gordon-focused TV series? Who would you like to see play Gordon as a young officer?